Cover Letter

May 26, 2017

Ella Culton

I am writing this letter to you, the reader, in an attempt to persuade you to compost and

recycle, as it will not only help you, but your community, and the world. This can be done in so

many creative and innovative ways, without negatively impacting your way of life. In this sense,

very little sacrifice has to be made by you, for a better world for us all.

Our Earth is sick because of the pollutants we pour into it every day. This is especially

apparent in the landfills scattered all over its surface. These landfills, are running out of space,

while we are running out of time. The reality of the situation is that we only have a few years

before we will have no choice but to figure out other ways to deal with our waste. The reason for

such urgency is that we have been ignoring this problem too long, instead, choosing to focus on

what’s most convenient. In our society, the questions we ask are not how can we make this

greener but instead how can we make this faster, cheaper to produce, and easier to consume. By

asking the essential questions, we are just adding more and more, at exponential rates, to the

landfills or sometimes even directly to the environment. However, that’s not to say to putting

trash in landfills is green or sustainable. In order to prevent odors, landfills are coated in plastics

residues day after day, and over time, the trash, decomposing, leaks devastating amounts of toxic

leachate.

But, we can make a change. As individuals, we can stop and think about our actions, and

how they will affect more than just ourselves. Whether this be at a supermarket or in a national
park, it is important, and it can make a difference. If everyone in the world tries to make one

positive and sustainable change, the world, and future generations will be forever indebted to us.
Waste: Solutions to Our

Modern Day Trash Crisis

The Greene School

Ella Culton

5/26/17
 Table of Contents

Letter of Transmittal 1
Waste: Solutions to Our Modern Day Trash Crisis 2
List of Illustrations and Figures 4
Abstract 5
Discussion 6
Conclusion and Recommendations 9
Works Cited Page 1​1
List of Illustrations and Figures

A Lebanese man walks over trash in Beirut that

covers the street.

An albatross bird on the island of Midway Atoll,

with a stomach full of plastics and trash.

Reused objects from rubber gloves and aluminum

cans. On the left, a aluminium can mirror is shown,

and on the right, a rubber glove dress is displayed.

Aerial view of Johnston Resource Recovery

Center. This property has 250 acres of usable land,

but, is on a much larger property.

 Abstract
The world has a dirty little secret, a trash secret, which is about to uncovered. For

hundreds of years, we have thrown our trash away, without ever really understanding or caring

where it ended up. In actuality, it ended up at landfills, that are now reaching capacity. If we

don’t make a change quickly, it will be disastrous. But, there is hope. In the next pages, several

solutions will be presented to elevate the burden waste is placing upon this, and future

generations. One can quite simply make a small change, like bringing reusable bags to the

grocery store, or by composting food scraps, and have a major impact. What we need to learn as

a society is that in the end, we are one massive community, that must work together to save our

planet. In our own little state of Rhode Island, we can become leaders in waste management,

inspiring other states and individuals throughout country to follow suit. While we are small, we

can be mighty.
 Discussion
We as a nation, and as a global community need to begin sustainable practices for future

generations to enjoy the same environment we have today. This will not be possible without

significant effort, as already, in the state of Rhode Island our landfill is filling up. In 20 years,

there will be no more room, and somehow, in positive or negative way, we will have to deal with

the consequences. Unfortunately, much of the waste that is filling up the landfill is food waste,

which can be composted, allowing nutrients to continue their cycle of use, as nature intended.

Or, if it is not a compostable material, it can be recycled, continuing yet another natural cycle.

On a simple level, we as a society must go back to being more in tune with the Earth, in a sense

apologizing for the sometimes irreparable damage we have done. The Earth is our home, and we

must protect it.

1
Trash, as we know it, is “something worth little or nothing” . This can be an empty egg

carton, a broken doll, or most notably, a plastic bottle. While we as a society tend to assume that

all of these things are worthless, that is not necessarily the case; unless we let it be. To explain,

egg cartons, if made of paper or cardboard, can be used in the compost along with other

materials like food waste to produce rich and valuable compost. On the other hand, a plastic

bottle can be melted down and reused to create another plastic bottle, or maybe even a deck or

chair. The possibilities are endless in this regard if only we as a society chose to look at the

world and it’s resources in a different way. However, because this mindset has not yet been

adapted by society, we are seeing the effects of trash pollution every day.

For example, in the city of Beirut, “the city’s primary landfills reached capacity with

1 ​https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trash
 2
more than 15 million tons of trash” , leading residents to dump their trash into the streets. With

no other options, this is all residents can do. This may seem unimaginable in the United States

now, but it is possible in our future if we keep at our current rate of trash production. In fact,

every year, Rhode Island produces 1.5 million tons of trash, a significant portion of which could
3
be reused, recycled, or composted in some way or another . Clearly, this is not a small number,

and with only 250 acres in the Johnston Landfill, otherwise known as the Rhode Island Resource

Recovery Center, one can do the math and determine that we do not have much time left. The

RIRRC currently processes 400 tons of recycling a day, or 146,000 tons a year, but has the

capacity to do so much more, if only given the opportunity. To explain, the recycled materials at

RIRRC are put through a machine known as MRF, or Materials Recycling Facility. As a result of

the machinery, only 58 workers are needed to manage 76,550 square feet of recycling.4 In a

perfect world, this massive space would be put to good use, however, because of a mindset of

“everything we throw away is trash”, over 80% of all solid recyclable waste in the United States

is still put into landfills.

In this sense, our lives revolve around the convenience of plastic: for example, we would

prefer to use a plastic bottle, rather than a reusable water bottle, all because we don’t want to put

in more effort. It is a wonder that this occurs, if only merely for the fact that it the effect of

plastic pollution is clearly known: images of sea turtles strangled by plastic and trash islands

plaster the news, and yet we continue to pour 8 million tons of plastics into our oceans each year.
5
Put simply, not enough change has been made at the community level, as sadly individual

2 ​https://weather.com/science/environment/news/beirut-garbage-river-trash

3 ​http://www.planning.ri.gov/documents/LU/swmp/171_Prelimnary%20Draft_9.26.14.pdf

4 ​http://www.planning.ri.gov/documents/LU/resource_recovery_guide2013.pdf

5 ​http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2016/12/world/midway-plastic-island/
action does not have the same impact as a larger local, continental, or global movement.

But, there is a solution. Composting and recycling, sustainable practices, help to continue

nutrient cycling, and prevent the buildup of waste. On a more technical level, composting turns

carbohydrates (your fruits, vegetables, and wood chips) into water vapor (which we see as

steam), carbon dioxide, and rich soil. To continue the cycle, this compost can be used to grow

more fruits, vegetables, or plants, otherwise known as the inputs of compost. In this sense, it

could be a never-ending cycle, if only we built the systems to do it in our individual

environments. Clearly, different environments have different temperatures and conditions which

need to be accommodated, but, all and all, composting is simple, and inexpensive. In fact,

composting can be used in a rural backyard, on a city roof, or on a more industrial level, such as

a landfill. At Johnson Landfill, otherwise known as the RIRRC, the compost they produce is sold

to businesses and individuals around Rhode Island. This means that even if one cannot create a

compost on their own, they can supply materials to a community compost and buy the enriched
6
soil in return, to help their own gardens. This same policy can be applied to recycling, as an in

depth program has begun at RIRRC, in an attempt to decrease the amount of “solid waste” put

into the landfill. So, while plastic is convenient, so are recycling and composting, with much

better effects on the planet.

Big headlines of sea turtles and fish dying from plastic are spread across the news, but the

coverage never fully extends to the complete effects of plastic. To put it bluntly, plastic has taken

over our world, even if it is not entirely visible. To explain, over time plastics break down,

although not into forms that can be “given” back to the environment. Instead, microplastics in

6 ​http://d3tt741pwxqwm0.cloudfront.net/WGBH/ess05/ess05_int_compost/index.html
the billions float in our oceans, being eaten by organisms going all the way up the chain to

humans. So, even if one does not particularly care about marine life, they can see that even they

cannot escape the effects of plastic on our world. But what makes plastics so bad? To explain

one must delve into its chemistry, which includes a perfect cocktail of toxins, including

bisephenol A, more commonly known as BPA. This endocrine disruptor mimics estrogen,

therefore affecting sexual development and reproductive health, and possibly even the health of

other vital organs7. Alas, this is not even the most dangerous chemical we end up ingesting, as

DINP, a replacement for chemicals like BPA, is “ banned in toys and childcare articles that

children can put into their mouths”. If such precautions must be taken, what can be said of the

effect of eating such a product? In any case, one can tell that the results will not be positive.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Clearly, this problem does not just affect one person, or one community. It affects all of

us together, as a collective community. Even if one is to ignore all of the information above, it is

impossible to deny this: everything has an equal and opposite reaction. In more simple terms,

everything we do to the environment will have an equally harmful result on our planet. This is

not able to be debated or denied: it has been proved, and continually supported by scientists for

approximately 330 years.

Out of this crisis, there is an opportunity for innovation. We are not a totally a lost cause

for mother nature: humans are making a change, and if we continue along this path, we can

7 ​https://journalistsresource.org/studies/environment/pollution-environment/plastics-environmental-health-literature-review

https://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/def/dinp-di-isononyl-phthalate.htm
essentially save the planet, one step at a time. In my own local community of Westerly, Rhode

Island, some grocery stores have started allowing patrons to return with used containers and refill

said objects. Moreover, they encourage customers to buy in bulk, as over time, this uses less

packaging. This decreases the amount of plastics and other solid wastes, in a small way that does

not dramatically impact one’s way of life. Often times, individuals are hesitant to move forward

with composting and extensive recycling as they believe it will impact their lifestyle in a

negative way. However, if done properly, this does not have to be the case. If you simply reuse

containers, or buy in bulk, you are reducing your impact on the environment, benefiting

generations to come.

This is not the only way to make a difference, and you do not necessarily have to rely on

community wide efforts. As an individual you can use your recyclable items to make artwork,

clothing, and many other useful products. In this day and age of technology, it is as easy as

opening a tab and clicking search to find thousands of ways to live more sustainably. I urge you

to spend a few minutes, searching the web, as that is all it takes, to find a way to reduce your

negative impact, big or small. While your change in itself may not have a significant impact, it

can be influential. By starting in your home, you can inspire others in your town or city, leading

to a wider movement, which hopefully can spread. Being an active recycler or even composter

and supportive of sustainable practices, you can be the change you want to see in the world.
 Works Cited Page
1. "Trash." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 26 May 2017.

2. Martin, Robert. "Locals Outraged As Garbage Floods The Streets Of Beirut." The Weather

Channel. The Weather Channel, 04 Jan. 2016. Web. 26 May 2017.

3. Hess, Nancy. "Rhode Island Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan." SOLID WASTE

2038. Rhode Island Department of Administration, Sept. 2014. Web. 20 May 2017.

4. RIRRC. "RIRRC Background Information." Resource Recovery Guide. Rhode Island Resource

Recovery Center, 4 Aug. 2013. Web. 20 May 2017.

5. Walsh, Nick Patton, Ingrid Formanek, Jackson Loo, and Mark Phillips. "Plastic Island: How Our

Trash Is Destroying Paradise." CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 20 May 2017.

6. Kille, Leighton Walter, and Rachael Stephens. "Plastics, Human Health and Environmental

Impacts: The Road Ahead." Journalist's Resource. Shorenstein Center, 13 Apr. 2017. Web. 20 May

2017.

7. Green Facts. "Di-isononyl Phthalate (DINP)." Glossary. Green Facts, n.d. Web. 20 May 2017.

8. Main, Douglas. "BPA Is Fine, If You Ignore Most Studies About It." Newsweek. Newsweek, 19

Mar. 2016. Web. 20 May 2017.

9. Worland, Justin. "DEHP BPA Chemicals Cancer: Replacement Chemicals May Be Just As Bad."

Time. Time, 8 July 2015. Web. 20 May 2017.